Photographic background roller assembly



April 14, 1964 I Filed June 12, 1962 A. CODA PHOTOGRAPHIC BACKGROUNDROLLER ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

AAFEfD CODA ATTORA/EYS April 14, 1964 A. CODA PHOTOGRAPHIC BACKGROUNDROLLER ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 12, 1962 INVENi'R ALFREDCODA BY 26 ll I/II/ l/l/l/l/ ATTOIQ VEYE United States Patent 3,128,688PHOTOGRAPHIC BACKGROUND ROLLER ASSEMBLY Alfred Coda, 48 WyantlemereDrive, Woodclifl Lake, NJ. Filed June 12, 1962, Ser. No. 202,001 Claims.(Cl. 95-83) This invention relates to a photographic background rollerfor displaying a large number of different scenes and backgrounds with asingle roller assembly.

Canvas and paper backgrounds are widely used in photography and intheatrical productions. Generally, the backgrounds, which depict aparticular scene or give a particular color background, are wound on aroller which is suspended from a ceiling or other elevated structure.When a particular background is to be used, the canvas is unrolled fromthe roller and hangs therefrom to give the desired effect. The prior artroller assemblies used for the aforesaid purposes are usually limited toaccommodating the canvas or paper necessary for depicting only a singlescene or background. If difierent scenes or backgrounds are to be used,as many roller assemblies as there are scenes must be provided. This isundesirable from both the viewpoint of installation cost and overheadspace required to support the large number of roller assemblies.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to providea photographic background roller assembly which can be used forproviding a plurality of scenes or backgrounds.

It is another object to overcome the drawbacks in prior art rollerassemblies wherein a different roller must be used for each differentscene or background.

Still another object is to provide a photographic background assemblywhich when not used may be rolled up in a compact, unobtrusive manner.

A further object is to provide a background assembly that is easilyoperated.

A still further object is to provide a photographic background assemblywhich in addition to providing for the use of a plural number of scenesor backgrounds, may be used for providing so-called horizonlessbackgrounds.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in thecourse of the following specification.

In achieving the aforementioned objectives of the present invention, itwas found advantageous to provide a photographic background rollerassembly which may be conveniently supported from a ceiling or overheadframe structure and which comprises a pair of parallel arranged take-uprollers, whereon may be wound the canvas or paper customarily used forproviding a background scene. The canvas or paper may be of any lengthso as to provide a plurality of backgrounds, the only requirements beingthat the respective two ends of the canvas be firmly secured todifferent take-up rollers, and that the rollers be positioned to providefor sufficient clearance to allow substantially all of the canvas to berolled up on one or the other of the take-up rollers when required. Oneof the take-up rollers is positively driven by suitable power means as,for example, a reversbile electric motor. The other take-up roller isdriven by moving a friction disc into peripheral contact with the twotake-up rollers. An idler roller is supported in the bight of the canvasor paper extending between the two take-up rollers and acts as a weightmember to carry the unwinding canvas or paper downwardly from theceiling to the floor when the take-up rollers are rotated. Frictionbrake means are provided to hold the unpowered take-up roller againstrotation when the friction disc is disengaged from the take-up rollersand only the powered take-up roller is rotated. In use, the canvas orpaper may be unwound from the take-up rollers in the Ice form of a longloop stretching to the floor, being carried down thereto by the idlerroller. A background change may be accomplished by merely rotating thetakeup rollers until a new scene front is presented. When it is desiredto roll up all the canvas or paper, it is accomplished by disengagingthe drive disc and allowing the powered take-up roller to rotate untilit takes up substantially all the canvas that was hanging down from theassembly, the idler roller being raised up simultaneously by theelevation or raising of the loop.

In accordance with the present invention, the background roller assemblymay be utilized to provide several backgrounds of the so-calledhorizonless background type, wherein the canvas or paper hangs suspendedto the floor level and sweeps forwardly thereon, there, of course, beingno loop in this type of background. For this purpose, a horizonlessbackground sheet is firmly connected to each end of the plural scenecanvas or paper close to the point where the canvas is connected to therespective take-up rollers. To present a horizonless background, thetake-up rollers are rotated until the canvas is wound up substantiallyon one take-up roller. This allows the horizonless background sheet tounwind from the other take-up roller and drop to floor level at whichpoint it may be arranged as desired by hand to achieve a horizonlesseffect. To roll up the horizonless background, its take-up roller isoppositely rotated, taking up the sheet along with which some of theplural scene canvas is unwound from the other, take-up roller andrewound in layer-like fashion with the sheet on the first take-uproller.

The invention will appear more clearly from the foli lowing detaileddescription when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingsshowing, by way of example, preferred embodiments of the inventiveconcept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the take-up rollers and idler rollerportion of a photographic background roller assembly constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention, the take-uprollers being shown supported from a ceiling.

FIGURE 2 is a partial perspective view of one end of the take-up rollersand the drive disc which is used to transmit power from the poweredtake-up roller t0 the other take-up roller.

FIGURE 3 shows in perspective, the drive motor for driving the poweredtake-up roller, the drive motor being connected at the other end of thetake-up rollers.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the photographic backgroundroller assembly shown in FIGURES 1 to 3, the drive disc being shown inan engage position for driving both take-up rollers.

FIGURE 5 is the same as FIGURE 4 except the drive disc is shown in adisengaged position for rolling up the plural scene canvas from thefloor level.

FIGURE 6 is the same as FIGURE 5 except that the canvas is shown as itappears after roll-up.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of another form of background rollerassembly in which a horizonless background sheet is carried by theplural scene canvas for effecting a horizonless background.

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of the background roller assemblyshown in FIGURE 7, the horizonless background sheet being carried on thefront side of the plural scene canvas; and

FIGURE 9 is the same as FIGURE 8 except that the horizonless backgroundsheet is carried on the rear side of the plural scene canvas.

Throughout the specification, like reference numerals are used todesignate like parts.

The photographic background roller assembly 10 shown in FIGURES 1through 6 is intended to be used in a photographic studio or theatricalsetting. It is contemplated that the assembly be supported from aceiling 1 1 or other available overhead structure. The assemblycomprises a pair of parallel spaced take-up rollers12 and 13. As shownin FIGURE 1, the take-up rollers may be rotatably supported in ceilingbrackets 14. One roller 12 of the pair of take-up rollers is positivelydriven at one end by means of a reversible electric motor 15 and speedreducer 16 (FIG. 3). The other or unpowered roller 13 is driven off thepowered roller 12 by means of a driving disc 17 which may be moved intoand out of engagement with the take-up rollers. Driving disc 17 iscarried by an engagement lever 18 which is pivoted at one end in asupport bracket 19 connected to the ceiling 11. A compression spring2tlis connected to the opposite end of the lever 18, the spring 21) beinganchored in the ceiling and acting to pull lever 18 upwardly so thatnormally the driving disc 17 is engaged with the take-up rollers 12 and13. To reduce slippage between the driving disc 17 and the take uprollers, the driving disc may be made of rubber and the ends of therollers covered as at 21 with a rubber composition to increase thefrictional contact therebetween. To disengage the driving disc 17 fromthe take-up rollers 12 and 13, the engagement lever 18 is pivoteddownwardly from the ceiling 11 by means of pull rope 22 which actionovercomes the force of spring 20. When the driving disc 17 is in adisengaged position only powered take-up roller 12 will rotate since itis directly coupled to driving motor 16. The disengage position of thelever 18 and driving disc 17 is shown in FIG- URES and 6, while theengaged position is shown in FIGURES 2 and 4. To insure that take-uproller 13 will not rotate when the driving disc is disengaged andpowered roller 12 is rotated for the purpose of rolling up the afterdescribed background screen 23, a friction brake element 24 is carriedby engagement lever 13. When engagement lever 18 is pulled downwardly todisengage driving disc 17, the brake element 24 will engage the rubbercovered portion 21 of take-up roller 13 and will prevent it fromrotating under the force of the pull exerted on the after describedscreen 23 which is being taken up on take-up roller 12. This feature isbest seen in FIG- URES 5 and 6.

To provide the photographic or scenic background there is connected tothe two take-up rollers 12 and 13, a background screen 23-. The screen23 may be of canvas or paper according to the particular requirements ofthe user. Furthermore, the screen may have thereon a plurality ofspecific scenes 40 or colored panels for use in effecting a number ofdifferent backgrounds for either photographic or theatrical purposes, orboth. The length of the screen may be varied, depending on theindividual need and the number of different backgrounds desired. In anyevent, the screen is firmly connected at its ends to the two take-uprollers 12 and 13. Thus, it is possible to roll up substantially theentire length of the screen on one of the rollers as, for example, thetake-up roller 12, except, of course, for the short span of screenextending onto take-up roller 13. Obviously, the reverse is also truewith regard to rolling up the screen on take-up roller 13. i

The screen supports in its bight or loop .an idler roller 25 which actsas a weight to carry the screen 23 downwardly to floor level when thescreen is unwound from the take-up rollers for providing a photographicbackground. The idler roller 25 is loosely supported in the bight of thescreen 23 and is, therefore, free to rotate about its own axisas thescreen is unrolled or rolled up. As seen in FIGURES 4 and 5, the screen23 when unrolled, drops to the level of the floor 26 and presents a backportion 27 and a frontal portion 23, the latter being the photographicbackground or scene which it is desired to use.

In use:

The manner in which the photographic background roller assembly 10 ofthe present invention is used will be described, by way of example, asit may be used when providing a color background for taking pictures ina photographic studio. As was previously stated, the roller assembly 10is designed tobe compact and unobtrusive when not in use. Thus, as shownin FIGURE 6, the assembly hangs suspended just beneath the ceiling 11when not in use. Assuming that it is desired to effect a particularbackground, and further assuming that substantially all of the screen 23as wound in take-up roller 12, one first pulls down on pull rope 22 andmaintains the pull thereon to insure that brake element 24- engagestake-up roller 13 to prevent its'being rotated. This also disconnectsdriving disc 17 from both take-up rollers. Motor 15 is then turned on torotate in the desired direction, in this case to cause take-up roller 12to rotate in a clockwise direction. As the take-up roller 12 rotates,the screen 23 will unwind therefrom. As the screen unwinds, a looptherein will be carried downwardly, to the floor 26 by the weight ofidler roller 25 which is supported in the loop. After a suitable numberof unwinding revolutions of take-up roller 12, the screen will reach thefloor as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. The screen will then present the rearand frontal portions 27 and 28, respectively. It might be that thedesired background is that on the frontal portion 28 of the screen atthat. moment. If such is the case, drive motor 15 is stopped and pullrope 22 released; If, on the other hand, the particular backgrounddesired still needs to be unwound from the take-up roller 12, it is onlynecessary to release pull rope 22 as soon as'the loop of screen 23 hasreached the floor. This will result in driving disc 17 engaging bothtake-up rollers and drive from take-up roller 12 will be transmitted totake-up roller 13. Both take-up rollers will continue to rotateclockwise with the screen unwinding from. roller 12, traversing the pathshown by the arrows in FIGURE 4, and being wound up on roller 13. Assoon as the desired background is presented on the frontal portion 28,as illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5, the drive motor 15 is stopped. Ifother back-grounds are thereafter desired, it is only necessary to runmotor 15 in the appropriate direction until the required frontal portion28 of the screen is presented to view. It then it is desired to roll upthe screen entirely as shown in FIGURE 6, one pulls down on pull rope 22and turns motor 16 on to cause take-up roller 12 to rotatecounterclockwise. This, in turn, will cause the frontal and rearportions of the screen to wind on take-up roller 12, idler 25 beingcarried upwardly therewith as shown.

The roller assembly 161 of the present invention may also be utilized toprovide so called horizonless backgrounds. To carry this out, use ismade of the construction shown in FIGURES 7 through 9. The rollerassembly 10 is in all respects identical with that previously described.In addition, two horizonless background sheets 29 and 39 are connectedto the screen 23 near its ends. The horizonless sheet 29 is connected toscreen 23 at a point close to the end which is connected to takeuproller 12, while horizonless sheet 30 is connected to screen 23 close tothe end which is connected to take-up roller 13. The manner of aihxingthe sheets 29 and 3 to screen 21 may, obviously, vary depending on thematerial used, etc. One mode as, for example, that shown in FIGURE 7 mayinvolve stitching the sheets to the screen along a longitudinal seam 31.

In use, the horizonless background sheets 29 and 30 providefor twodilferent backgrounds. If it is desired to utilize the background sheet29, for example, it is required that the take-up rollers 12 and 13 berotated in the manner previously described until substantially all ofthe screen 23 winds oil. from roller 12 and onto take-up roller 13. Atabout thetime that the remaining portion of screen 23 which is left onthe unwinding roller 12 has a length slightly in excess of sheet 29, thesheet 29 which is also wound on roller 12 in alternate layers, willstart to unwind, dropping towards floor level 26. After sheet 29 isfully unwound, it will hang suspended from the assembly as shown inFIGURE 9. The free end 32 of the sheet may then be pulled forwardly adistance so as to eliminate the wrinkles in the sheet at floor level,thus giving a horizonless background for the photographer, etc. When itis desired to wind up the sheet 29, the takeup rollers 12 and 13 arerotated in a counterclockwise direction until the sheet 29 is wound ontake-up roller 12. The operations involved in unwinding and windingsheet 30 (FIG. 8) should be obvious from the foregoing.

The foregoing thus described a photographic background roller assemblywhich provides that a number of different backgrounds may be achievedmerely by rotating the take-up rollers in the assembly according toneed. Furthermore, the same assembly may be used for providinghorizonless backgrounds.

While there is above disclosed but some embodiments of the photographicbackground roller assembly, it is possible to produce still otherembodiments without departing from the inventive concept hereindisclosed.

What is claimed is:

l. A photographic background roller assembly for displaying photographicbackgrounds, said roller assembly comprising a pair of parallel spacedrollers, means connected with one of said rollers for driving said oneroller, a driving disc adapted to engage said rollers for transmittingrotation of said one roller to the other roller, means connected to saiddriving disc for moving it into and out of engagement with said rollers,an elongated screen connected at one end to the circumferential surfaceof one of said rollers and connected at its other end to thecircumferential surface of the other of said rollers whereby said screenmay be wound from one to the other of said rollers and vice versa whensaid rollers are rotated, and roller means loosely supported on saidscreen between said rollers and adapted to establish a loop in saidscreen in a direction away from said rollers when said driving disc isdisengaged from said rollers and said one roller is rotated.

2. A photographic background roller assembly in accordance with claim 1wherein the surface of said screen bears indicia constituting abackground scene.

3. A photographic background roller assembly in accordance with claim 2further comprising at least one additional screen sheet connected at oneside to said screen adjacent one end thereof, said screen sheet beingadapted to be wound on the one of said pair of rollers to which said endof said screen is connected, said screen sheet being adapted to hangsuspended from said screen when said screen and said screen sheet areunwound from said one of said pair of rollers.

4. A photographic background roller assembly for displaying photographicbackgrounds, said roller assembly comprising a pair of parallel spacedrollers, means connected with one of said rollers for driving said oneroller, a lever pivoted at one end and located adjacent said rollers,resilient means connected to the other end of said lever for urging saidlever in a direction away from said rollers, a driving disc rotatablycarried by said lever and engaging said rollers for transmittingrotation of said one roller to the other roller, means connected to saidlever for moving it in a direction towards said rollers for disengagingsaid drive disc from said rollers, an elongated screen connected at oneend to the circumferential surface of one of said rollers and connectedat its other end to the circumferential surface of the other of saidrollers whereby said screen may be wound from one to the other of saidrollers and vice versa when said rollers are rotated, and roller meansloosely supported on said screen between said rollers and adapted toestablish a loop in said screen in a direction away from said rollerswhen said driving disc is disengaged from said rollers and said oneroller is rotated.

5. A photographic background roller assembly in accordnace with claim 4comprising a friction brake element carried by said lever and adapted toengage said other one of said pair of rollers when said lever is movedtowards said pair of rollers for preventing the rotation of said otherone of said pair of rollers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,281,022 Cavanaugh Apr. 28, 1942

1. A PHOTOGRAPHIC BACKGROUND ROLLER ASSEMBLY FOR DISPLAYING PHOTOGRAPHICBACKGROUNDS, SAID ROLLER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PAIR OF PARALLEL SPACEDROLLERS, MEANS CONNECTED WITH ONE OF SAID ROLLERS FOR DRIVING SAID ONEROLLER, A DRIVING DISC ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID ROLLERS FOR TRANSMITTINGROTATION OF SAID ONE ROLLER TO THE OTHER ROLLER, MEANS CONNECTED TO SAIDDRIVING DISC FOR MOVING IT INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ROLLERS,AN ELONGATED SCREEN CONNECTED AT ONE END TO THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL SURFACEOF ONE OF SAID ROLLERS AND CONNECTED AT ITS OTHER END TO THECIRCUMFERENTIAL SURFACE OF THE OTHER OF SAID ROLLERS WHEREBY SAID SCREENMAY BE WOUND FROM ONE TO THE OTHER OF SAID ROLLERS AND VICE VERSA WHENSAID ROLLERS ARE ROTATED, AND ROLLER MEANS LOOSELY SUPPORTED ON SAIDSCREEN BETWEEN SAID ROLLERS AND ADAPTED TO ESTABLISH A LOOP IN SAIDSCREEN IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID ROLLERS WHEN SAID DRIVING DISC ISDISENGAGED FROM SAID ROLLERS AND SAID ONE ROLLER IS ROTATED.